The Receptivity of Officers to Empirical Research and Evidence-Based Policing: An Examination of Survey Data From Three Agencies

Cody Telep, Cynthia Lum

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    72 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    Police officer receptivity to empirical research and evidence-based policing is important to consider because officers are responsible for implementing approaches validated by research on the street. Officer survey data from Sacramento, California; Richmond, Virginia; and Roanoke County, Virginia suggest prospects and challenges for advancing evidence-based policing. Generally, officers use few tools to learn about research, but their views are in line with the evidence for some strategies. Officers typically value experience more than research to guide practice, but they also tend to recognize the importance of working with researchers to address crime. Officers show some willingness to conduct evaluations but are most interested in using less rigorous methodologies. The findings across agencies are fairly similar, although some differences do emerge.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Pages (from-to)359-385
    Number of pages27
    JournalPolice Quarterly
    Volume17
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Dec 26 2014

    Keywords

    • evidence-based policing
    • officer survey
    • receptivity to research

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
    • Law

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